Tuesday, October 25, 2005

First They Came For The Muppets And I Did Not Speak Out Because I Was Not A Muppet.

The Archetype of an Aggressive Beggar With a Hand Up His Bum

From the BBC:

"'Elmo' seized in LA police actionLos Angeles police sparked a surprising sight when they led away real-life versions of cuddly Sesame Street Muppet Elmo and cartoon hero Mr Incredible. Impersonators of the well-known characters were arrested for allegedly harassing tourists for tips to pose for photos on Hollywood Boulevard.

"With all of the crime in Los Angeles they pick on us?" said Donn Harper, 45, who impersonates Elmo.

LAPD said it was cracking down on what it called "aggressive begging"." (The rest of this wonderful story can be found here)

My fervent wish and hope is that the LAPD send an officer to Maine to detain and caution the Anah Temple Shriners Muppet Costume Marching Unit- regulars in parades and festivals in Downeast and Midcoast Maine. To my mind those chaps' costumes make John Wayne Gacy seem like a safe bet for a kid's birthday party.

And lest you feel that dressing up in a cartoon suit under the hot Californian sun and aggressively panhandling Swedish people is the rock bottom act of a desperate man, Donn Harper (Elmo) tells the BBC that "He makes up to $400 a day in tips".